Garage flooring tiles

[Jammer369]

I am trying to get my 600sqft shop in order before my MkIV arrives in Aug. Right now it just has a bare concrete floor that is a pain to keep clean. My shop will double as a snakepit and wood shop so I have a few very heavy old woodworking saws (80yr old Unisaw and same vintage delta 14" bandsaw) that are on mobile bases with steel wheels. I considered epoxy flooring but everyone I know who has done them here in AZ hasn't had great success with them holding up over the long term.

I just ordered some samples of Nitro Tile diamond garage decking from the Rubber flooring company. They are a little less than $3/sqft and can be put together in different colors. My question is how they would handle the steel wheels of my heavier shop tools. I think they would make clean up much easier than it is now and enable me to clean up the inevitable fluid spills while building the roadster.

Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated. With the significant increases in the past year of all I will need to buy for the roadster (Engine, tranny, etc) I need to keep the flooring to less than $3/sqft. I noticed this week that Forte's base price for his Coyote kit w/TKX went up from $14,4k to $18k in the past month and that is without the Moroso oil pan and a few other needed items. Totally understandable in these times but it affects the budget in other ways.

Thanks,
Troy

[JimLev]

Why not replace those steel wheels with some like these.
https://www.amazon.com/swivel-wheels/s?k=swivel+wheels

Then epoxy coat the floor using a good epoxy, much easier to keep clean.
I’ve done 3 garages in the last 10 years, they are all still OK.
Prepping the cement is the key to a good job.

[CaptB]

I had a polyurethane floor put in and it's the cat's meow. It actually keeps the garage warmer in the winter.

[Presto51]

Another option to look into Race Deck Garage Flooring

https://racedeck.com/

Thanks

Ron

[Fman]

I was in the same dilemma, was considering the tiles and ended up going with epoxy flooring, when professionally done the stuff is bulletproof and will withstand excessive abuse without peeling and chipping. If you are considering the Home Depot/$150 DIY Rustoleum stuff you will be disappointed it will peel and chip. A professional job is not cheap, my shop is 1450 sq ft and it was around $5k to do the floors. I have dropped all kinds of of stuff on it, dragged floor jacks, fluids, etc and it has held up. Also cleans up really nice with just a mop/simple green. The company that did mine offers a lifetime warranty and will come back and repair if it ever has issues. Just make sure and have a reputable company do it, diamond grinding the concrete really helps the adhesion process. The only downside is if you drop a small bolt or nut on the flooring it is a real challenge to find it!

[TMartinLVNV]

I have the plastic tiles and love them. They do make cleaning up way easier than bare concrete. The epoxy flooring is super nice as well but much more money. If you plan on moving your stuff around on steel wheels, you might have a problem. When I jack up my car, I have to put a square piece of wood under the front and back of the jack and jack stands. Otherwise, the steel wheels or corners of the stands will sink in. You could always order a small amount of the tiles and test it out with your equipment on top of it.

[edwardb]

I have Racedeck in my shop. Had it at my former house and picked it up and moved to our new place several years ago. It's held up very well through multiple builds, jack stands, floor jacks, engine stands, engine crane, etc. I've dented a couple of tiles by dropping very large and/or sharp objects. Easy enough to pry out the damaged tile and replace. I have a box of extras for that reason. I've spilled everything imaginable on it without any issue. The only thing it won't handle is weld sparks. But I don't weld, so not an issue. The difference between working on tiles versus bare concrete is significant. Highly recommended as an economical alternative to various kinds of coatings.

One other hint. This and other floor options are widely discussed on https://www.garagejournal.com/. It's been a few years, but when I bought my Racedeck flooring (you have to buy direct) they gave a discount if you were a member of that forum. I joined just for that reason.

Pictures of my roughly 22 x 22 installation and in use from several years ago. Still in action but with different builds.

https://hosting.photobucket.com/albums/ab234/edwardb123/Factory%20Five%20Daytona%20Coupe/Garage%20Remodel/.highres/IMG_1533_zpstn47htne.jpg?width=590&height=370&fit=bounds (https://app.photobucket.com/u/edwardb123/a/2cc5268c-a396-4ad1-a856-f692aec2a89f/p/2bc5a766-9cae-4436-85a7-f90d1f87abab)

https://hosting.photobucket.com/albums/ab234/edwardb123/Factory%20Five%20Daytona%20Coupe/Garage%20Remodel/.highres/IMG_1573_zpsk6vzi7fu.jpg?width=590&height=370&fit=bounds (https://app.photobucket.com/u/edwardb123/a/2cc5268c-a396-4ad1-a856-f692aec2a89f/p/a1bc1705-94d6-4a42-8945-75c860841f67)

[Skuzzy]

I have limited space in my garage. I have had to resort to putting everything on wheels so I can arrange things as I need to use them. It is a very cramped space.
My question about these systems is this. How hard is it to roll things around on? The engine hoist and cradle are on steel wheels which are pretty small. The two tool boxes are quite heavy as well, with wheels only an inch wide.

[Mike N]

Over the last few places we lived at I have used vinyl tiles, a self installed epoxy floor, and professionally installed epoxy floor. If I had a choice of doing it over I wouldn't hesitate to use a professionally installed epoxy floor. I'm actually not exactly sure if my current floor is 'epoxy' but it's a catalyzed polymeric 3 stage coating. Primer, color coat and top clear coat. I used a local family owned business to do mine and they did it over a 3 day period. It was an involved process but I am extremely happy with it. At my last house I bought materials to do the coating myself and they were not cheap. That coating held up OK but was not as tough as I would have liked. My current shop floor is now over 3 years old and gets a lot of use, grinding, welding, moving steel wheeled engine stands and cherry pickers about and yes if you look close there are scars in the floor coating but not through the coating to the concrete.
166234

[Tooth]

I had a rubber floor that was roll out matts. It didn't hold up that well. Went with Racedeck about ten years ago, and it's held up very well. My only concern with the reacedeck is when I install my motor I'm afraid the motor lift won't roll well. Hopefully I'm wrong.

[edwardb]

I had a rubber floor that was roll out matts. It didn't hold up that well. Went with Racedeck about ten years ago, and it's held up very well. My only concern with the reacedeck is when I install my motor I'm afraid the motor lift won't roll well. Hopefully I'm wrong.

I've found it's maybe not quite as easy as bare concrete. But really not an issue. Off topic, but I've had success with putting wheel dollies on the chassis (assuming it's a roller with wheels/tires...) and moving that around versus moving the shop crane with the motor. Easier to make small movements and moving doesn't cause the engine/trans to swing around.

[lt1_fd3s]

Using garage flooring tiles like Nitro Tile or RaceDeck is a popular option for many shop owners because they are easy to install and significantly more comfortable to work on than bare concrete. However, as noted in the discussion, these plastic tiles can struggle with heavy shop tools on small steel wheels, which may cause the tiles to sink or dent. To prevent this, many users suggest placing pieces of plywood or wood under jack stands and heavy equipment to distribute the weight and protect the flooring surface from damage. For a more permanent and durable solution that can withstand extreme abuse, grinding, and welding, a professional multi-stage coating is often the superior choice. While DIY epoxy kits can peel, a high-quality, catalyzed polymeric coating provides a bulletproof finish that is easy to clean with a mop and stays looking great for years. If you are looking for long-term reliability and a professional finish for your garage, you can explore specialized services at https://diamondcoating.ca/. Taking the time to properly prep the concrete or invest in a commercial-grade application will ensure your shop floor handles the rigors of any automotive build without chipping or wearing down.